THE " EED-SPINNER " FLY-ROD. 



51 



double-lianded rods for small trout. The idea 

 is offensive to one's ideas of proportion, and 

 with the heavy lines mentioned on page 20 

 sufficiently long casts can nearly always be 

 made. In the previous chapter is an engraving 

 of my favourite rod for fly-fishing generally. 

 For small trout in particular, there is nothing 

 better than a light rod, in two pieces, such as 

 the one in Fig. 38, which was engraved from a 

 capital little rod made by Hardy Bros., whose 

 split-cane rods are well known. The reader 

 should note the remarks on the care of rods 

 on page 18.* The best rod-bags are made of 

 a stuff called brown swansdown. 



The I^ine and Reel.— As to these, I have 

 little to add to what is stated on pages 18 to 

 21. As the rod for fishing in rapid streams 

 is usually lighter than that used in chalk 

 streams, the line and reel must be proportion- 

 ately less heavy ; 35yds. of running line is usually 

 sufficient. The lightest reels are made of 

 aluminium, but these are very expensive. Those 

 made of vulcanite and metal are very good, 

 and not too costly. The check should be light. 



Gut and Knots have been described at length 

 on pages 21-23 and 27-28. For small trout, the 

 finest drawn gut should be used at the end of 

 the cast. The blue-ink stain is a good one, but 

 when fishing in peat-stained water I like my 



* Highly-varnished rods with bright fittings are very ob- 

 jectionable. The more quiet and sober are the colours of the 

 angler's rod, dress, and impedimenta generally, the more fish 

 he is likely to catch. At the suggestion of Mr. Senior, Hardy 

 Bros, have brought out a rod called the " Red Spinner," which 

 is covered with a dull green enamel or paint, and does not flash 

 in the sunlight. This rod has a telescopic handle, and can be 

 lengthened 18in. or more in a few seconds. White lead, boiled 

 oH, and a little lampblack, make a good colour for painting 

 rods. As the mixture dries with a shiny surface, it should, 

 when hard, be rubbed down with a little fine sand-paper. 

 DIV. III. F 



